Offset balljoints: good, bad, and ugly?

[Cumsterdump]

my local 4x4 alignment shop which came highly regarded and is locally known as the jeep shop was scheduled to perform my 8 point alignment but said they wouldn’t be able to warranty their work for 2 reasons one of which i’m looking for some clarification on

i was told id need offset ball joints and based on other threads wether or not it’s a gimmick is up for debate still.

the shop explained to me that my front axle is ever so slightly bent on account of my 33in tires (off to a suspicious start) and that to accommodate this and get the best alignment possible i would need a 0.5 degree offset ball joints on my passenger side.

i don’t believe i’m being taken for a fool but it feels like a half degree is something i can push back on a bit. i know alignments when done right are held to a very tight margin of error but am i being messed with here?

 

[mrblaine]

my local 4x4 alignment shop which came highly regarded and is locally known as the jeep shop was scheduled to perform my 8 point alignment but said they wouldn’t be able to warranty their work for 2 reasons one of which i’m looking for some clarification on

i was told id need offset ball joints and based on other threads wether or not it’s a gimmick is up for debate still.

There are two groups of folks in the offset balljoint discussions. Them that don't understand shit and them that know that Jeep made a batch of bad axles with the wrong amount of cross caster. They had a company develop an offset balljoint for them and then issued a TSB to correct the issue should a customer complain and the need arise. In the kit were the cups and balljoint to replace the upper.

the shop explained to me that my front axle is ever so slightly bent on account of my 33in tires (off to a suspicious start)

33" tires do not inherently bend axles. That isn't a suspicious start, that is a red flag to run like hell.

and that to accommodate this and get the best alignment possible i would need a 0.5 degree offset ball joints on my passenger side.

I'd need a lot more explanation than that.

i don’t believe i’m being taken for a fool but it feels like a half degree is something i can push back on a bit. i know alignments when done right are held to a very tight margin of error but am i being messed with here?

You aren't being taken for a fool yet. If you let them touch your vehicle, then not so much.

 

[ColoJeep]

There are two groups of folks in the offset balljoint discussions. Them that don't understand shit and them that know that Jeep made a batch of bad axles with the wrong amount of cross caster. They had a company develop an offset balljoint for them and then issued a TSB to correct the issue should a customer complain and the need arise. In the kit were the cups and balljoint to replace the upper.

Interesting Blaine , have you seen this bad axle condition much ? , ( how common is it ) And did the OEM " fix " of offset joints really address the issue , or just placate the customer through the warranty period ? Thanks for the insights .

 

[mrblaine]

Interesting Blaine , have you seen this bad axle condition much ? , ( how common is it ) And did the OEM " fix " of offset joints really address the issue , or just placate the customer through the warranty period ? Thanks for the insights .

What the fuck makes you think it was just to placate and not resolve? Do you not know how a TSB works?

 

[ColoJeep]

What the fuck makes you think it was just to placate and not resolve? Do you not know how a TSB works?

My only experience with a TSB was a 83 GMC T-15 clutch linkage issue . After the TSB was performed the whole cab buzzed like a concrete vibrator when the clutch pedal was push in . GM said it was done properly . So I ended up changing the design and and building a new clutch cross shaft on the first new vehicle I owned. It worked fine after my redesign . Hopefully Jeep's TSB result in a fully resolved outcome for it's customers.
But I'm still curious if you see this bad axle situation very much ? Thanks .

 

[mrblaine]

My only experience with a TSB was a 83 GMC T-15 clutch linkage issue . After the TSB was performed the whole cab buzzed like a concrete vibrator when the clutch pedal was push in . GM said it was done properly . So I ended up changing the design and and building a new clutch cross shaft on the first new vehicle I owned. It worked fine after my redesign . Hopefully Jeep's TSB result in a fully resolved outcome for it's customers.

You should pay more attention to context specific stuff. There are several Jeep TSBs that are great solutions. The 2 most common I'm aware of are the rewire of the O2 heater circuit that makes the codes go away and the WJ TSB for the switch from Teves to Akebono calipers. The 100 dollar kit from Jeep got you 2 rotors, 2 calipers with saddles, hardware, and a set of pads. I still have a spare 7 blade fan and clutch for the 00 TSB.

But I'm still curious if you see this bad axle situation very much ? Thanks .

Hard to tell since I'm surrounded by idiots who think that letting go of the steering wheel while driving is a valid test for anything.

 

[speeding_infraction]

Hard to tell since I'm surround by idiots who think that letting go of the steering wheel while driving is a valid test for anything.

Might be obvious but I'm sure you've told them that they can prevent the vehicle going off the road by holding onto the wheel?

 

[mrblaine]

Might be obvious but I'm sure you've told them that they can prevent the vehicle going off the road by holding onto the wheel?

It has a pull
Based on what test?
When I'm driving on the road, I let go of the steering wheel and it drifts to one side.
Sorry, that is an invalid test.
Why?
Because, the front axle has cross caster of about 2 tenths of a degree built into the right side to counteract road crown. If you are on a road with a different amount of crown than 2 tenths is appropriate for, the vehicle will drift to one side or the other. Especially true if you get on a freeway that has NO crown.

Drive normally, light hand on the wheel, if there is a pull of enough significance to enter into your consciousness as being something you are fighting while driving, then we'll deal with it. Until then, stop doing dumb shit.

 

[macleanflood]

 

[mrblaine]

If you were forbidden to stop posting videos, would that render you speechless?

 

[ColoJeep]

You should pay more attention to context specific stuff. There are several Jeep TSBs that are great solutions. The 2 most common I'm aware of are the rewire of the O2 heater circuit that makes the codes go away and the WJ TSB for the switch from Teves to Akebono calipers. The 100 dollar kit from Jeep got you 2 rotors, 2 calipers with saddles, hardware, and a set of pads. I still have a spare 7 blade fan and clutch for the 00 TSB.

Hard to tell since I'm surround by idiots who think that letting go of the steering wheel while driving is a valid test for anything.

Thanks.

 

[hear]

If you were forbidden to stop posting videos

I want to see what this would look like in practice.

 

[jjvw]

I want to see what this would look like in practice.

I can think of a few here who already communicate largely through videos, gifs, and memes.

 

[GoldenGorilla]

Hard to tell since I'm surrounded by idiots who think that letting go of the steering wheel while driving is a valid test for anything.

Darwin is slackin in SoCal.

 

[Obi-Wan]

When I bought my 04 back in 08, I found that my front passenger tire developed abnormally high wear on the inner edge compared to the rest. Took it to have it aligned and found that the camber for that wheel was off by almost 1°. Installed a set of offsets and have had no issues since. At the time, I had no idea a TSB was available.

 

[akajibio]

When I bought my 04 back in 08, I found that my front passenger tire developed abnormally high wear on the inner edge compared to the rest. Took it to have it aligned and found that the camber for that wheel was off by almost 1°. Installed a set of offsets and have had no issues since. At the time, I had no idea a TSB was available.

TSB?

 

[cliffish]

TSB?

technical service bulletin from Jeep.

 

[macleanflood]

Thread 'Wrangler TJ Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs)'

Feb 3, 2024

I'm going through TSBs, and will populate the tables below as I go along. (For an intro to TSBs, see here.)

If you have one you'd like to include, just post a reply and I'll add it.

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FSM Section 2: Suspension

TSB_Number​	Date_Published​	Summary​	Links​
22-01-97	Jun. 13, 1997	Discussion and definition of "radial runout" and "lateral runout", and specified measurements.	PDF
02-12-99	Aug. 20...

• SSTJ
• Replies: 18
• Forum: TJ Resources

• 

 

[akajibio]

technical service bulletin from Jeep.

thank you